Ray of hope from solar pyramid

The pyramid will stand on a man-made hill

Work has started in Derbyshire on one of the world's largest sundials.

The 150-feet-high (45m) solar pyramid is being built at Poolsbrook Country Park, near Staveley in Derbyshire - half a mile from the M1.

Once completed it will be more than twice the height of the Angel of the North.

The £1.2m structure will be powered by its own solar cells.

Built on the site of a former colliery waste tip, it is hoped the pyramid will help regenerate northern Derbyshire.

Light pulse

Made of three polished stainless steel towers, the structure will cast a shadow across a 60-metre base marked out to trace both time and the rotation of the earth.

The main tower will point due south, while the other two will mark sunrise and sunset on the summer solstice.

Buried beneath will be a device which emits a pulse of light to the surface every second.

Towering Time Tallest tower is 50m long Tower leans at 53.25 degrees Foundations 65m deep Surface area of 2,500 square metres Site passed by over 45,000 cars every day

Richard Lester-Swain and Adam Walkden, who are the project leaders, have spent more than three years trying to realise their dream.

Mr Walkden said: "We want to create an icon for North Derbyshire to bring inward investment and a cultural renaissance.

"It has attracted a lot of funding from local businesses or large businesses with a Derbyshire face.

Mr Lester-Swain said: "It will be a world first and a landmark for Derbyshire and remember, it is backed by the Royal Observatory in Greenwich which is a world centre of excellence.

"So this is art meeting science at a world class site and this is a major landmark we are designing to last until the next millennium."

It is expected the pyramid will be completed by the autumn of 2004.